Provision of services over a common delivery platform such as a mobile telephony network

ABSTRACT

One embodiment of a system for providing services to subscribers of a network supports the provision of a plurality of different services to multiple subscribers. A first processing unit provides a first execution environment for a first set of software applications and a second processing unit provides a second execution environment for a second set of software applications. A data structure is provided for storing data associated with subscribers of the system, the data structure providing a common identity for association with a subscriber which is recognized by all processing units of the system. This provides a common user repository which simplifies the provision of services and the authentication processes within the system.

CLAIM TO PRIORITY

This application claims priority to copending United Kingdom utilityapplication entitled, “Provision of Services Over a Common DeliveryPlatform such as a Mobile Telephony Network,” having serial no. GB0500715.8, filed Jan. 14, 2005, which is entirely incorporated herein byreference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to the provision and use of multiple electronicservices over a common delivery platform that is connected to atelecommunications network, such as a mobile telephone network or abroadband network.

BACKGROUND

There has been an explosive growth in the range of services which can beaccessed using mobile telephony devices, such as mobile telephones andPDAs.

As the range of services grows, different standards and protocols aresuitable for different classes of service. For example, a mobiletelephone may be used to operate real-time services, web services andrich media services.

Real-time services typically implement well established telephonyfunctions, such as call divert, messaging, call forwarding functions andring back functions (to name a few). These real-time services arecharacterized by the fact that dynamic status information (such aswhether or not a telephone is engaged at a particular point in time)dictates the functions to be implemented. These real-time servicescontrol the mobile connections in real time and are thereforesynchronous in nature. A particular set of protocols and standards isappropriate for implementing these functions, for example signalingsystem #7 (SS7) and SIP interfaces which can be controlled from a JAINSLEE type environment. The processor for implementing the functions willtypically support state-based processing.

Web services typically implement more adaptive functions and can use awide range of data resources from third parties. For example, webservices can include banking services, shopping, notifications (such assports and traffic news) and software download functions. There are twotypes of web services. Well-known operations on the internet are oftencalled web services, these are content oriented operations. There isalso emerging a more formalized service-oriented form; these webservices are self-contained, modular business components that have open,Internet-oriented, standards-based interfaces. The standards behind webservices were created out of the industry's need for standard and openprotocols to link businesses together. With the emergence of moreformalized web services, customers, suppliers, and trading partners cancommunicate independently of hardware, operating system, or programmingenvironment. XML-based standards such as SOAP, UDDI, and WSDL enable webservices to be easily published, located, and invoked over open Internetprotocols like HTTP. Web services are asynchronous and are delivered ona best effort basis. Web services standards have been taken from anumber of standards bodies. The emerging, more formalized, web servicesalso need the ability to be discoverable at runtime and duringdevelopment.

Standards for rich media services are currently being formulated, forexample for high speed real time applications, such as processing oflive image data, such as video streams. Implementation is typically withproprietary standards. These services will require the use of furtherprotocols, standards and processing methods which are now emerging, forexample vector oriented processing techniques.

It can be seen from the above that the range of different services andservice types suitable for implementation using mobile telephony givesrise to many different environments for the creation of services andapplications. Each of these environments requires programmers withdifferent skills and software tools, and a highly distributed,non-homogenous environment results.

The access for users to the different services hosted by differentservice providers also gives rise to a complicated user accessenvironment, as access to different services will be based on differentaccess policies, typically based on the identity of the user. Individualusers can have many different identities (such as passwords, usernames).One solution is to use a federated identity scheme, in which differentservice providers accept each others' authentication of a user, so thata single sign on (SSO) operation can be carried out by the user toenable the user to browse between different services of differentservice providers. Single sign on schemes are known for implementationtypically in a web container. There are also many different types ofapplication programming interface, for example CORBA based, Java basedand .NET based.

SUMMARY

According to one embodiment, there is provided a system for providingservices to subscribers of a network, wherein the system supports theprovision of a plurality of different services to multiple subscribers,and comprises: a first processing unit which provides a first executionenvironment for a first set of software applications; a secondprocessing unit which provides a second execution environment for asecond set of software applications; and a data structure for storingdata associated with subscribers of the system, the data structureproviding a common identity for association with a subscriber which isrecognized by the first and second processing units of the system.

One embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a method ofcontrolling access to services provided by a network operator, thenetwork operator using a system which supports the provision of aplurality of different services to multiple subscribers, and comprises afirst processing unit which provides a first execution environment for afirst set of software applications and a second processing unit whichprovides a second execution environment for a second set of softwareapplications, the method comprising: receiving a request from thesubscriber at a gateway within the system, the request using firstidentification information for the subscriber and relating to serviceshosted by one of the first and second processing units; interrogating adata structure which stores data associated with subscribers of thesystem, the data structure providing a common identity for associationwith a subscriber which is recognized by the first and second processingunits of the system; and associating the common identity with therequest and forwarding the request to the processing unit associatedwith the request.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Examples of the present disclosure will now be described in detail withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows how a multiple services environment for a mobiletelecommunications application can be implemented using multiplecontainers for different applications and services;

FIG. 2 shows additional details to the schematic diagram of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows an example of a system of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is used to explain the software development environment;

FIG. 5 shows a services repository of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 shows a modification to the repository of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows a further modification to the repository of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 shows how common user identity is applied to user requests;

FIG. 9 is used to show a trust relationship between data sets associatedwith a user; and

FIG. 10 shows a complete mobile telephony network of one embodiment ofthe invention including the users of the network.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Examples of the present disclosure provide a system for providingservices to subscribers of a network supports the provision of aplurality of different services to multiple subscribers. A firstprocessing unit provides a first execution environment for a first setof software applications and a second processing unit provides a secondexecution environment for a second set of software applications. A datastructure is provided for storing data associated with subscribers ofthe system, the data structure providing a common identity forassociation with a subscriber which is recognized by all processingunits of the system. This provides a common user repository whichsimplifies the provision of services and the authentication processeswithin the system.

An example of the application and service delivery system for a mobiletelephony network is described below, which provides an example of animplementation of the invention. The example given has numerous novelfeatures, and the scope of this patent is to be determined by theclaims, which focus on certain of the aspects described below. It shouldbe understood that embodiments of the invention as claimed can be usedin many different contexts, and it should not be assumed that allfeatures of the system and methods described below are essential to theimplementation of embodiments of the invention as claimed.

FIG. 1 shows schematically how different services and applicationsprovided by a mobile telephone network operator are hosted in differentcontainers. FIGS. 1 to 3 show parts of the architecture of a mobilenetwork operator application/service delivery system. FIGS. 1 to 3 eachrepresent parts of an application/service delivery system of a singlenetwork operator. Typically, the system serves one territory (country)only, although there may in practice be a single system serving multiplecountries, or else multiple application/service delivery systems for anindividual network operator may be provided within one such territory.

FIG. 1 shows three software containers where services and applicationsare hosted. A container is the execution environment for applicationsand application components that use a set of common services andcapabilities. The container uses standard APIs for service bindings andstandard programming methods as well as interfaces to other systems.Each container supports a small number (typically 1) of applicationprogrammatic interface type, e.g. JAIN or web services. The particularservices and applications in each container will be those mostappropriate for the standard execution environment and protocols used bythat container.

Unit 10 represents the network (for example 2G mobile, 3G mobile orfixed), and data is transferred between the network 10 and the networkoperator application/service delivery system. All physical datainteraction with the network subscribers takes place using the network10. As shown, the network 10 may be implemented using a number ofdifferent technologies, and embodiments of this invention can be appliedto conventional (or indeed future) mobile, broadband and fixed telephonynetworks protocols.

The Real Time Services container 12 hosts real time applications whichtypically depend on dial events of the subscriber equipment, for examplea handset or software agent on a PC. These applications are thereforeimplemented using state-based techniques. Examples of the types offunction implemented by applications hosted in the container 12 areconference functions, call forwarding functions, presence informationgathering, push to talk over cellular functions (walkee talkee typemulti-user operation), ring back functions and messaging functions.These functions are characterized by synchronous run-time functionality.These functions can be implemented in a high throughput, low latencyevent processing application environment, such as the Service LogicExecution Environment (SLEE) for example JAIN SLEE, which is the is theJava standard for a telecommunications SLEE.

Access to the services hosted by the container 12 may depend on theauthentication using a SIM card or IP address supported by othercredentials.

The Real Time Messaging Container 14 is an environment currently underdevelopment, for the streamed delivery of live rich media (i.e. video)content. Proprietary implementations are currently used, and standardsare now beginning to emerge. This is expected to include the use ofvector oriented processing environments.

The Web Services Container 16 hosts applications which involve increasedinteraction with third parties, and may typically involve userinteractions for example menu based selections. The Web Servicesenvironment uses synchronous protocols and is a highly distributedenvironment, for example using J2EE and NET application servers.

Access to the services hosted by the container 16 is typically permittedon the basis of identity which is verified through a registered passwordor by cryptographic means.

Each container can be implemented using a modular software approach, inwhich a particular application will call upon different softwarecomponents, for example service enablers/resource adapters, and thesemay be shared between different applications. In this way, anapplication is operated by an orchestration process which runs logicusing modular service enablers/resource adapters. An application mayinvolve use of service enablers inside or outside the networkapplication/service delivery system that is controlled by the operator.An application in a container may be itself made available for re-use byother applications. Applications can be created in a variety of waysincluding but not restricted to programmatic languages like Java andexecution of business process languages like BPEL.

The architecture shown in FIG. 2 illustrates that each container hostsrespective sets of business services unit 20. The sets of businessservice unit present the available functions and call upon serviceenablers in the respective containers to enable the business services tobe executed. These business services are realized by orchestrations.

FIG. 2 also shows the Real Time Service Container interfacing with themobile network using the signaling protocol SS7, and the SIP basedprotocols. SS7 is used for control of circuit switched networks, forexample 2G mobile networks. ISC/SIP is used for control of packetswitched networks, for example IMS.

The containers 12,14,16 are connected to each other through gateways, asshown in FIG. 3. As shown, gateways are provided between each pair ofcontainers (a service gateway 30 between Containers 12, 14, a messaginggateway 32 between the Containers 14,16, a gateway 34 between theContainers 12,16, as well as a media gateway 36 directly between thenetwork and each of the three containers. Each container also implementspolicy enforcement.

The gateways control the routing of data (such as requests for services)between the containers and can be used to provide policy control points.The different services hosted by the containers will typically havedifferent access conditions, and the policy control points implementthese conditions.

FIG. 3 also shows a common framework management and billing unit 40which communicates with the containers and the gateways.

The architecture outlined above provides a simple structure, withdifferent standards used in different parts of the structure, so thatservices and applications can be implemented in the most efficientmanner.

The different containers may implement different access rights to thirdparties. For example, the Web Services Container may be preferred whenallowing third parties to register services to the container, and thisregistration right may be reserved to the network operator. Use ofservice enablers by third parties (external to the network system) mayalso be through a gateway with different access rights.

FIG. 4 is used to explain how the execution environments associated withthe different containers require the skills of different softwaredevelopers. The inverted triangle of FIG. 4 illustrates that the WebService Container operates using an execution environment which isunderstood by a large number of developers, and the required know-howand skills are relatively low. The different and standard protocols areshown along the vertical, and the width of the triangle illustrates theavailable number of developers. As a result of the different skillsrequired by each level, different access conditions for differentexecution environments are desirable. Development of an application inone layer will also typically use resources from a lower layer and thelayer itself. Resources from a lower layer can be accessed through agateway. If a resource that exists in a higher layer is required, thenthe layer is accessed in the same manner as it would be typically used.This may require the developer additionally to have knowledge of theservice binding method or methods in that layer.

The hatched regions 45 indicate where newly created services and servicecomponents are created. The arrows 46 also indicate schematically thatservice capabilities created in one layer can be exported to theexecution environment above (i.e. to be available to more developers).

Each of the services implemented by the execution environments isassociated with a respective (homogenous) service binding, whichprovides the set of rules governing the interface with the service, anddefining the common structure of messages to be sent and received. Eachservice binding defines the way an API (Application Program Interface)is described, and is a specific class of API.

To enable more effective reuse of software components, and to facilitatethe design and implementation of services for operation over the mobilenetwork, a common service repository is provided.

FIG. 5 shows this common service repository and is used to explain how asoftware developer interacts with this repository.

The common service repository 50 may be an actual database in a singlephysical location, or it may be virtual and physically distributedthroughout the system. The common service repository stores informationabout available completed applications and service components (namelyservice enablers/resource adapters), and these are registered so thatthey are appropriately indexed. Each application or service componententry includes an API or service binding, so that the repositoryincludes multiple different types of service binding 52. The servicerepository serves all of the different types of execution environment,for example the three different types of execution environment definedby the containers in FIGS. 1 to 3.

In order to access the common service repository 50, a developer readinterface 54 is provided. Access control filters (ACF) 56 control theoutput to the developer, and a library adapter (LA) 58 formats theoutput into a form suitable for a specific software development kit(SDK) 60.

By way of example, FIG. 5 shows the interface between four differentsoftware development kits 60 and the common services repository. Asshown schematically in FIG. 5, each software development kit may beassociated with a different development level of the structure of FIG.4, which is shown schematically in FIG. 5 at 62.

The software development kits may for example use the followingprotocols and standards:

-   -   Web Services: HTML, XML, WSDL    -   Inter-network Integration: J2EE, .NET, CORBA    -   Network Services: IN, JAIN SLEE, SIP    -   Languages (Programming): Java, C#, C++

Each execution environment is associated with a different API or servicebinding, or set of APIs and service bindings. Data is stored in thecommon service repository according to the API/service binding. Forexample, a similar indexing structure may be used as in a conventionalUDDI registry, of “white”, “yellow” and “green” pages. The white entryprovides service provider contact details, the yellow entry providesbusiness details and the green entry provides technical interfacedetails, such as the API identity and the location of the API.

Developers create their application or service in their selectedstandard software development kit, for example Borland JBuilder. Thelibrary of each SDK provides details of all available services andservice enablers, obtained from the common service repository. Thelibrary of each SDK will contain a list only of the services and serviceenablers which can be exported to the SDK taking into account an accesspolicy. A direct portal interface can also be provided to the commonservice repository (rather than through the SDK), again subject toaccess controls.

Once a developer has completed an application or service component, thiscan be registered in the common service repository using a developerwrite interface (portal). The hosting details can also be registered foruse by subsequent hardware configuration and software redeploymentmanagement systems.

New services are loaded into the service delivery environment using thehardware configuration and software redeployment management systems.

An operator's service delivery environment will comprise one or more ofthe containers of the system architecture of FIGS. 1 to 3.

It can be seen that the common service repository contains a list of allthe applications and services that a telecommunications operator canprovide both internally and externally to the market through theirvarious channels. Entries are provided for complete applications as wellas application fragments and services that can be reused by otherapplications. The entries include the details of the programmaticinterfaces of the application fragments and services.

The common service repository is structured taking into account thesystem architecture. For example, the architecture described above hasthree containers, each providing different execution environments. Thecommon service repository can accordingly host entries relating to threeservice bindings (or three sets of service bindings), one for eachexecution environment. Multiple service bindings can be supported for acontainer, for example two containers may have just one type of servicebinding whereas the other may have two classes of service binding.

The common service repository enables all services and applicationfragments to be found in one location (or one virtual location) and alsoenables the details of respective service bindings to be discovered fromthe same location.

This also enables the discovery of simple services to be composed intohigher level services, and enables the discovery of services fororchestration of services (namely organizing the flow of services)within a container.

Access to the common service repository is controlled so that differentdevelopers have different access rights to discover applicationfragments and services. Some will be limited by their development tools,and others may be limited by trust levels. For example, an internaldeveloper will have greater access rights than an external developer. Byupdating service component libraries in the SDKs used by developers fromthe common service repository, developers can use the standardapplication creation tools they are familiar with.

The functionality of the common service repository can be enhanced byproviding state information in the repository. FIG. 5 shows a statemodel 65, and this is explained further with reference to FIG. 6, whichshows that the common service repository is provided with a servicesequence database 66 which can provide additional information to theexecution environment 68, particularly to a state-based service 69 ofthe execution environment.

The service sequence database 66 is used to describe relationshipsbetween the services. For example, one service may require another to berun before it can be run. One service may require that it is followed byone or more other services. The required logic is created through thewrite interface 64 and is saved in the service sequence part 66 of thecommon service repository, for access by means of the developer readinterface.

As shown in FIG. 6, the service sequences can be exported by an exportunit 67 to the execution environment 68 for use by a state-based service69 of that target execution environment.

This state based information enables a state table to be formed for theservices of the repository. This can be used both for verification(where the service sequence is known in advance) and for state basedprogramming purposes using a state model. Examples of the type ofapplications which will have particular services which follow or precedeare services implementing different ringback tones for differentcallers, or implementing push to talk over cellular functions.

The generation of a state model based on the different servicecomponents stored in the service repository enables state basedprogramming to be used for sequencing the execution of servicecomponents, even when those components are created independently. Theadvantages of state based programming are well known. For example, theexecution of software components is enabled without the risk of longterm pausing of active processes blocking access or overloading theexecution environment with parked execution threads.

By deriving a state table from the different software components in therepository, the entry of state related information is simplified, and alink is provided between the service creation tools and the executionenvironment. The common service repository thus draws together all ofthe resources for the creation of services in a most efficient manner.

As mentioned above, developers of the network operator can registerservices in the common service repository, and third party developerscan also register services and service sequences.

The third party services are not always made available to othersimmediately, and typically are first tested and the businessrelationship is first established. For this purpose, the servicerepository is provided with a third party quarantine area 70 (FIG. 7).The third party services and service sequences are quarantined while theservices and business conditions are tested or finalized by a thirdparty evaluation unit 72 (FIG. 7). Only then are third party serviceregistry pages 74 (FIG. 7) and if required the service sequence pages 76(FIG. 7) available for use by other developers.

As discussed above, there are many different execution environments inthe system described. Different users will invoke (and be subscribed to)different services provided by the system. Access to the differentservices is typically permitted on the basis of the identity of theuser. However, users may have many different identities relevant todifferent services (different passwords, account numbers, referencenumbers, MSISDN number, etc), and this complicates the task of providinguser authentication for the different services offered by the networkoperator.

To overcome these difficulties, the system is provided with a commonuser identity repository. This user identity repository provides asingle identity system which the services may use, and draws togetherall the smaller pieces of information about an individual user held indisparate systems.

The common user identity repository may again be provided as a singlephysical entity (for example an Oracle database), or it may bedistributed as a number of databases, for example with one in eachcontainer. The user identity repository is shown schematically in FIG. 3as block 80 (“CUR”—common user repository).

When authentication of the user can be achieved, the CUR provides asingle identity for users for all access to services within the system.Thus, regardless of the entry point of a user request into the controlsystem, a common identity is applied to the request to enable all otherparts of the system to which the request is routed to recognize the userand derive the access rights of the user. In one possible implementationthis can be achieved by re-writing the http request header, orequivalent, of user requests with the user identity from the CUR. Thistask can be carried out by a traffic interceptor 82 (FIG. 8) associatedwith the CUR. All traffic such as service requests passes through thetraffic interceptor.

This mechanism enables direct access to all data in the CUR without theneed to cross reference multiple instances of the name of a user.

If the user cannot be authenticated, special identities can be applieddepending on the access interface, for example unknown public user,trusted operator user and unknown developer.

FIG. 8 shows how the common user repository identity 80 is applied torequests as they enter the system.

The interceptor 82 intercepts any new request and checks if therequestor identity is on the authenticated list—typically forming partof the CUR and typically a locally cached copy. This list 84 provides amapping of input IDs to the CUR ID. If an input is received from analready authenticated user, the CUR ID is placed in the request header,and the request is forwarded with the new CUR identity.

If the requester identity is not recognized, an authentication functionis implemented, and the previously unrecognized user ID is added to theauthenticated users list and an existing or new CUR identity is added tothe request as before.

The request has then entered the system, and while the request is withina trusted zone, the CUR ID is the only identity information needed tomake service invocation requests.

However to increase security and access flexibility, each service canalso be provided with a service interceptor. Upon receipt of a serviceinvocation request, these check if the CUR identity is valid, and alsoif the user corresponding to the CUR identity has the required accessrights. For example, a check may be made of the age of the user, thesubscription status, whether the CUR is part of a group membershipscheme etc.

A refinement to this system enables different levels of trust to beattributed to different information data. For example, a user may beauthenticated to the common user repository in more than one way. Therewill exist a set of attributes about the user bound to the identity ofthe user, and examples of these are:

Billing entries including name, billing address, current and previousbills, credit limit, customer care records. This information can comefrom the user but also from credit agencies, for example.

Mobile phone SIM card identity (such as MSISDN).

Name and passwords for authentication of the user to a portal service.

A federated identity scheme supported by cryptographic authenticationmeans enabling single sign on (SSO) for web services.

Other authentication systems can also be used, such as public keyencryption/authentication.

These different information sources provide different levels of securityand are established to provide different access rights. For example, auser name and password for access to a portal service may be to enable aset of web pages to be accessed which are customized to the needs of theuser. The authentication process may not enable any billing operationsto be carried out, and the level of security may be relatively low. Itwould therefore be undesirable for a user to gain access to highersecurity level information (for example access to credit limitinformation or bills) using this information.

In general terms, it would be undesirable to allow a weaklyauthenticated connection to be used to modify data associated withanother level of authentication, or even to allow access over a weaklyauthenticated connection to that data. While hierarchical authenticationschemes may be used, this is not required.

There is therefore a need for levels of trust to be built into thesystem even when a single user identity from the common user repositoryis to be used to provide a common identity of a user for all services.

FIG. 9 is used to show how data relating to a single user 90 is groupedinto a number of sets 92. Each set 92 contains the user attributes (i.e.information) from a specific source, which is associated with aparticular authentication process. For example, a Web service may beinvoked by a user who is authenticated by an email address and password,and this group of information provides a set 92 of data.

A set of data is considered “active” if the user has been authenticatedusing that data set 92 for the session currently in progress. The commonuser repository thus includes data fields associated with the differentdata sets, and these include timestamps to enable the active data set orsets to be determined. The active status of a user's authentication mayalso be retained in a service interceptor's cache which may itself beanother portion of the common user repository.

The different sets 92 are linked by links in the form of trustrelationships 94, and these links take into account a trust model thatexists between the sets. These sets of information may form a simplehierarchy or a stack with progressively increasing levels ofauthentication associated with progressively increasing levels of trust.However, a mesh type trust relationship may instead exist as shownschematically in FIG. 9. The links are based on a mapping of the variousauthenticated identities of the user. These may show that furtherauthentication is required before an application/user may safely implyattributes in the CUR are about the same user.

The different levels of authentication may for example comprise a simplyidentity request, identity and password, SIM or smart card identity,public key authentication etc.

The trust relationship between sets 92 may not be reciprocal, and a morecomplicated chain of trust relationships will be established.

When information from the common user repository is read out, written ormodified, the trust relationship is used. Thus, the trust relationshipscan be used to implement a system in which:

read, write and modify actions on the common user repository can besubject to different authentication requirements;

information in one set can only be accessed based on authenticationusing the information of that set, or where a trust relationship fromanother information set permits this;

the trust relationships between sets can be read out (as well asprevious trust relationships);

when attributes are read from the repository, the trust informationconcerning those attributes can also be provided.

The trust relationships together define a trust model, which is asoftware-implemented set of relationships between the different sets ofdata.

The manner in which a user has been authenticated to the user repository(which determines which data set is “active”), together with the trustrelationships, can be used to determine the actions that may be carriedout, namely services that can be invoked by the user and the accessrights to information in the common user repository. System managerinterfaces will additionally be provided permitting general access.

When a request is received from a user to invoke a service, if theauthentication level which has been used to provide the common userrepository identity, and the trust relationships, are not sufficient toallow access to the server, a response can be generated which requestsfurther authentication.

An example will now be given with reference to FIG. 3.

A user dials in to the network, and this is by means of a connection tothe network 10. This provides access to the real time services container12 simply on the basis of the MSISDN of the telephone used. In a 2Gnetwork this was authenticated using the SIM card in the users mobiledevice.

The real-time services container accesses the common user repository toobtain the single user identity and adds this to the header of therequest message. This access to the common user repository may forexample be made by a Home Subscriber Server, (HSS) of the container 12.

The call may be directed to a number of a specific service, for examplefor purchasing music, and this service may be hosted by the web servicescontainer.

At this stage, it can be determined that the authentication levelassociated with the interaction with the user so far is not sufficientfor the request to be routed to the purchasing application in the webservices container. The common user repository may then require furtherinformation to provide authentication associated with the appropriateset of user data before the request can be routed to the web servicescontainer through gateway 36.

Alternatively, the level of authentication may be sufficient to allowbrowsing of the services provided. However, if a purchase request ismade by the user, then further authentication will again be required.

There are a number of policy control points at which the “active”authentication level and trust relationship are used to determine if arequest can be pushed forward. These are provided at each gateway.Furthermore, additional direct access routes into services may beprovided for the network operator, and these portals (not shown in FIG.3) will also be provided with access control.

The trust relationships in the common user repository may change overtime, and the system administrator can implement these changes.

The trust relationships can be described by listings, numeric levels,text files or state-based relationships. The trust relationships enablea single common user repository to be created in a single (real orvirtual) database rather than using separate databases with differentaccess rights. This enables a more complete understanding of a userprofile to be obtained, and kept up to date and consistent.

The access rights determined by the trust model determine not onlyaccess to hosted services but also to the data in the common userrepository. For example, the trust model can be used to implement asystem in which a subscriber (or other user) can access and modify datain the common user repository only if they have been authenticated bydefined authentication credentials or authentication credentialsdetermined by the trust model to be better.

The common user repository can be implemented as a single actual orvirtual database. Alternatively, multiple databases can be used eachcontaining a set of attributes. One of these databases may be a homelocation register or a home subscriber server as used in 2G and IMSnetworks. These databases are then linked by a further table (in anotherdatabase) that includes references to indicate how a user isauthenticated to each database. This table then identifies the trustrelationships.

A status field can be used to indicate the state of a particular set ofattributes, such as currently active, inactive or a permanent status.

A further refinement of the system is that any container, but mostlikely the web container 16, also includes a state machine to interpretthe user's accessibility status. As mentioned above, Web serviceinteractions are essentially synchronous in nature, and any stateinformation is temporary in nature and is not generally utilized.

However, some state information can also be derived from web-basedcommunications, concerning the dynamic status of a multiple transactionuser session. This dynamic status information can also be placed in thecommon user repository. Thus, the common user repository can alsoinclude dynamic network based information about links and devices, andthe dynamic state in a state model of the user session. This dynamicstate is understood using a programmable state model.

The common user repository can thus provide additional state informationderived from:

all static interfaces;

any SSO (single sign on) status;

telecommunications network dynamic parameters such location;

a model of the user's current interaction state;

device or devices the user currently has enabled;

information from the user.

A state machine, typically located in the web container, provides themodel of the interaction state for any interactions by means of the webcontainer. This model may for example include their location within aset of web pages being browsed, the devices of the user that are active,identification of the sessions that are running.

This information can be used by applications to ensure the best deliveryof services.

A service delivery platform unit of the web container can be used toderive the state information. As an example, this information from theweb container state machine can identify the best device to send datato, when a user has multiple devices. The same common user identity canbe used for all devices, but the state based analysis of the status ofmultiple devices of a user can dictate the device to which a serviceshould be delivered. For example, a color map should be sent to a PDAwith a larger display in preference to a mobile telephone, if this PDAdevice is active.

The state machine can also be programmed to interpret user interactions.If, for example, a user has not used a device for 6 hours, should thesystem assume that the user is still available? For some cases, forexample a static PC during work hours, it may be correct to assume thatthe user is in fact available, whereas the user is probably notavailable at the same static PC out of work hours. The user state musthave rules to interpret inactivity. Rules for purposes such as timingout sessions and reroute requests can be added to the state tablemodels. The state machine also takes account of the level ofauthentication of a user, by accessing information in the common userrepository, in particular by determining which data set is or sets areactive for the user.

Embodiments of the invention have been described in connection with anexample of the application/service delivery system for a mobiletelephony network operator. The significance of this application is thatmany different types of service are provided to many different users,and with different access rights and authentication protocols being usedfor different services. There are other technical arenas in which thesame issues may arise, and various aspects used in the system describedabove can be applied to other contexts. These include fixed andbroadband networks.

One example of system has been described above, and which embodies oneembodiment of the invention as claimed. The system has been describedonly in sufficient detail to enable a full understanding of the conceptsunderlying the embodiments of the invention. Other features will berequired to implement a practical control system, and these will beapparent to those skilled in the art. However, a brief discussion of keyadditional features is provided below.

The common management and billing unit has not been described above.This can be conventional, and will include a billing module, an assetmanagement module, customer relationship management module, as well as apolicy control unit. Management and billing may use the servicesprovided in each container and may be made available as services in eachcontainer.

The system will additionally comprise an IP switching fabric unit, andmessaging service units, for example a short messaging service unit,which will again be conventional. SIP protocols may be used on the IPswitching fabric inside, as well as outside of the application/servicedelivery system.

The common user identity used by the system does not necessarily need tobe a new identity. For example the MSISDN number may be used as thecommon user repository single identity.

The system has been described above in connection with users of thesystem with mobile telephones or PDA devices. However, the “users” maybe automated devices. For example, the services provided by the systemmay include such functions as taking meter readings, providing trafficdata to a car navigation system, such as congestion data or routingdata. The “user” can then be an electricity meter or a car navigationsystem. However, the principles of service delivery as outlined aboveremain the same.

For completeness, FIG. 10 shows a complete system, using the system 100described above to provide services to multiple users, includingautomated users 102 (such as a meter or navigation system) and humanusers with telephones 104 or computer terminals 106. The system 100 islinked to a network of base stations 108 which provide the mobilenetwork coverage, and also links to the internet 110. FIG. 10 also showsa wireless LAN base station 112 as well as a wired terminal 114connecting to the internet 110.

The scope of the disclosure should of course be determined withreference to the accompanying claims rather than the specific exampledescribed above.

I claim:
 1. A system for providing services to subscribers of a network, wherein the system supports the provision of a plurality of different services to multiple subscribers, and comprises: a first processing unit which provides a first execution environment for a first set of software applications; a second processing unit which provides a second execution environment for a second set of software applications; and a data structure for storing data associated with subscribers of the system, the data structure providing a common identity for association with a subscriber which is recognized by the first and second processing units of the system, wherein the first set of software applications are each associated with a first service binding or first set of service bindings, and the second set of software applications are each associated with a different second service binding or second set of service bindings.
 2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data structure stores all data associated with each subscriber from each processing unit.
 3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system comprises a plurality of access control points, and wherein each access control point is provided with a traffic interceptor for appending the common identity of a subscriber to a service request from the subscriber.
 4. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the system further comprises a plurality of gateways between the processing units, for controlling the passage of data between respective pairs of processing units, and wherein each gateway is provided with an access control point.
 5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein data associated with each subscriber of the system comprises a plurality of sets of data, each set of data relating to a respective level of authentication.
 6. The system as claimed in claim 1, for providing services to subscribers of a mobile telephony network over the mobile telephony network.
 7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a second data structure containing data identifying the first and second sets of software applications or software application components of the first and second sets of software applications, and further identifies the service binding or bindings associated with each application or application component.
 8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first processing unit comprises a web container.
 9. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the web container comprises a state machine.
 10. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second processing unit comprises a server for hosting real-time services.
 11. The system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a third processing unit which provides a third execution environment for a third set of software applications, each associated with a different third service binding or third set of service bindings, and wherein the data structure contains data identifying the third set of software applications or software application components of the third set, and further identifies the service binding or bindings associated with each application or application component of the third set.
 12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the third processing unit comprises a processor for implementing real time image processing applications.
 13. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second data structure further comprises state information associated with at least some of the software applications or components.
 14. The system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising using at least one of the first, second, or third processing units to generate a state model based on the different services and service components stored in the second data structure.
 15. The system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a developer write interface for enabling services or service components to be written to the data structure.
 16. A mobile telephone network comprising: a system as claimed in claim 1; and a plurality of base stations connected to the system for communicating with multiple subscribers over a wireless connection.
 17. A method of controlling access to services provided by a network operator, the network operator using a system which supports the provision of a plurality of different services to multiple subscribers, and comprises a first processing unit which provides a first execution environment for a first set of software applications and a second processing unit which provides a second execution environment for a second set of software applications, the method comprising: receiving a request from the subscriber at a gateway within the system, the request using first identification information for the subscriber and relating to services hosted by one of the first and second processing units; interrogating a data structure which stores data associated with subscribers of the system, the data structure providing a common identity for association with a subscriber which is recognized by the first and second processing units of the system; and associating the common identity with the request and forwarding the request to the processing unit associated with the request, wherein the first set of software applications are each associated with a first service binding or first set of service bindings, and the second set of software applications are each associated with a different second service binding or second set of service bindings.
 18. The method as claimed in claim 17, for providing services to subscribers of a mobile telephony network over the mobile telephony network.
 19. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising populating the data structure with all data associated with each subscriber available to each processing unit.
 20. A data structure embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium for use in a system for providing services to subscribers of a network, wherein the system supports the provision of a plurality of different services to multiple subscribers, wherein the data structure stores data associated with subscribers, the data structure providing a common identity for association with a subscriber which is recognized by multiple processing units of the system, each processing unit providing a respective execution environment for a respective set of software applications for implementing a service, and wherein the respective set of software applications is each associated with a respective service binding or respective set of service bindings. 